Leviticus 19 10

Leviticus 19:10 kjv

And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:10 nkjv

And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:10 niv

Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:10 esv

And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19:10 nlt

It is the same with your grape crop ? do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 19 verses

Leviticus 19 10 Meaning

Leviticus 19:10 commands Israelite landowners not to fully harvest their vineyards. Specifically, they were prohibited from going back to pick up grapes that had fallen or been missed (gleaning) and from meticulously gathering every single grape cluster. Instead, a portion of the harvest, those leftovers and meticulously uncollected grapes, was to be left intentionally on the vines or ground for the poor and the resident alien (sojourner) to gather for their sustenance. This directive is sealed by God's divine authority: "I am the LORD your God," underscoring that this is not merely a social custom but a holy command rooted in God's character and covenant with Israel.

Leviticus 19 10 Context

Leviticus chapter 19 is part of what scholars call the "Holiness Code" (Lev 17-26), a section emphasizing how the covenant people of Israel are to reflect God's holiness in their daily lives. The foundational command for the chapter, articulated in 19:2, is "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." All subsequent laws within the chapter—spanning religious rites, moral conduct, social justice, and personal ethics—are practical expressions of this call to holiness.

Verse 10, alongside verse 9 concerning grain fields, provides specific legislation for Israel's agrarian economy, linking economic practice directly to ethical and theological principles. It sits within a cluster of laws that command specific expressions of love for one's neighbor (which culminates in 19:18, "Love your neighbor as yourself"). Historically and culturally, Israel was primarily an agricultural society, making harvest practices central to its well-being. Unlike some surrounding Ancient Near Eastern cultures where landowners held absolute rights and the poor often resorted to servitude, Israel's law provided a systemic, divinely mandated method of relief, demonstrating God's care for all members of society, particularly the vulnerable like the poor and the landless sojourner. This also served as a counter-polemic against any culture that promoted total ownership and disregard for the less fortunate.

Leviticus 19 10 Word analysis

• And you shall not glean: The Hebrew verb here is לֹא תְקַלֵּל (lo' teqallell), derived from the root q-l-l, which primarily means "to make light of," "to curse," or "to despise." In this context, it takes on the meaning of "not making bare," "not clearing completely," or "not making despicable by exhaustive gathering." It prohibits stripping the vineyard so thoroughly that nothing is left. This signifies that complete economic exploitation, even of one's own land, is forbidden; an implicit "curse" upon the poor is enacted by such actions.
• your vineyard: This phrase acknowledges ownership by the Israelite but immediately qualifies it, reminding the owner that ultimate ownership belongs to God and thus, rights are constrained by divine command. The land and its produce are gifts from God, given for stewardship and to bless the community.
• nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard: The Hebrew phrase is וְלֶקֶט כַּרְמְךָ לֹא תְלַקֵּט (weleqeṭ karmekha lo' teloqet), using the verb לָקַט (lāqaṭ), "to gather" or "to glean." This provides a clearer, more explicit command than the preceding phrase. It means not to meticulously pick or exhaustively collect all the clusters. This goes beyond just "not gleaning after the fact" but pre-emptively leaving a portion unharvested.
• you shall leave them: This is an imperative, direct command. It highlights that the action of providing for the poor is not optional charity or a gracious handout, but an obligation and a divinely mandated act.
• for the poor: Hebrew: עָנִי ('ani). This refers to those who are genuinely disadvantaged, humble, or afflicted, lacking the means to provide for themselves. The law ensures that basic necessities are accessible to them.
• and the sojourner: Hebrew: גֵּר (ger). This refers to the resident alien or stranger, a non-Israelite living within Israelite society. The 'ger' often had no familial land inheritance or communal support, making them particularly vulnerable and dependent on such provisions. God explicitly commands care for them, mirroring His own compassion (Dt 10:18).
• I am the LORD your God: Hebrew: אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (Ani YHWH Eloheykhem). This divine self-attestation acts as a solemn, authoritative seal for the commandment. It asserts that these are not merely human conventions but direct mandates from the God who delivered Israel and entered into covenant with them. It roots social ethics in the very character and authority of the divine.

• "And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard": This dual prohibition emphasizes completeness. The first part (lo' teqallell) suggests not making a vineyard "contemptible" or "empty" through over-harvesting; the second (lo' teloqet kol pri) is more direct: do not gather every last fruit. Together, they create a deliberate space for the poor. It's not about being messy in harvest but being intentionally generous.
• "you shall leave them for the poor and the sojourner": This defines the explicit beneficiaries of the law, underscoring God's preferential option for the vulnerable. The purpose is not mere inefficiency in farming, but specific, divinely ordained provision for social welfare.
• "I am the LORD your God": This repeated divine signature (common in the Holiness Code, Lev 19:3, 4, etc.) asserts ultimate divine authority and motivation. The ethical commands are inextricably linked to Israel's covenant relationship with their unique God, distinguishing their practices from other nations and elevating justice to a matter of holiness.

Leviticus 19 10 Bonus section

The gleaning laws in Leviticus were not mere suggestions but foundational aspects of Israel's distinct societal structure. They served multiple critical functions:

• Preventing Absolute Property Rights: They subtly teach that even land which an individual 'owns' is ultimately God's (Lev 25:23). Thus, private property rights are not absolute but are limited by divine command and communal responsibility.
• Fostering Compassion and Trust in God: They cultivated compassion among landowners, requiring them to willingly forego some of their potential profit out of obedience to God and care for neighbor. For the poor, it fostered trust in God's provision through these means.
• Distinctiveness from ANE Cultures: While other ANE cultures might have had charitable practices, few had such enshrined, systematic, and theologically driven economic justice laws integrated directly into their core legal codes, especially enforced by a direct "I am the LORD your God" declaration. This law promoted a unique society characterized by active and structural compassion rather than reactive charity.
• Ethical Ramifications: The command has enduring ethical ramifications for how any society, or even individuals, should view wealth, property, and their obligation to those less fortunate, linking justice directly to faith. It encourages not merely giving from abundance but sometimes restraining our own desire for "everything" for the sake of others.

Leviticus 19 10 Commentary

Leviticus 19:10 establishes a remarkable social welfare system ingrained in the very fabric of Israelite economic life. It mandates that a portion of the agricultural yield from vineyards is not the exclusive property of the landowner but is designated for the most vulnerable in society. This is not presented as an act of discretionary charity but as an immutable legal and ethical obligation. By prohibiting thorough harvesting, the law requires an intentional "waste" from the perspective of pure efficiency, but it creates a space for divine providence and human dignity.

The poor and sojourners were allowed to gather these uncollected portions, thus preserving their self-respect by working for their food rather than receiving a direct handout. This mechanism ensures basic provision without fostering a culture of dependency. Furthermore, the inclusion of the "sojourner" highlights God's universal compassion beyond the covenant community, extending kindness even to those who are strangers in the land. The divine authentication "I am the LORD your God" transforms these agricultural rules into a direct manifestation of God's holiness and His ethical standards for His people. It reveals that holiness is not just cultic ritual but lived righteousness in societal interactions, especially toward the disadvantaged.

Practical usage today includes principles of responsible stewardship of resources, ethical business practices that consider societal well-being beyond mere profit, and systematic ways to alleviate poverty that uphold the dignity of the recipients. Examples could range from food banks working to provide fresh produce for those in need to companies integrating ethical supply chain practices and community support initiatives.